2017 Mercedes E-Class LWB Test Drive Review

Driving Dynamics – For the suspension, you get Comfort and Sport settings. The Comfort setting is brilliant if the car is moving at slow speeds but gets slightly bouncy as the speeds increase. This is where the Sport setting comes into play. It stiffens the suspension properly and you get a more planted ride at high speeds. The air suspension does a fantastic job on our roads. The ground clearance is 120 mm and it can be raised to 135 mm at the touch of a button. However, the operation takes quite a few seconds to complete. Due to the long wheelbase, you need to be careful on our infamous speed breakers if you love your car.

The handling isn’t sporty but the E feels predictable. The steering is feather light at low speeds and weighs up a bit as the speeds increase. However, it just lacks any sort of feedback or feel. Again, Sport setting helps matters here but still I didn’t find the dynamics as involving as the BMW 5-Series. The 17-inch tyres help matters on our roads since they are appropriately sized and have nice grip. Should Mercedes have provided larger 18-inch wheels, the ride and comfort would’ve definitely been affected. The brakes do a fabulous job and stopping power is impressive.

Safety and After Sales Service – The best part about having a Mercedes is the fact that the automaker provides simply splendid levels of service across the country. Moreover, they have a good spread throughout major cities and hence servicing your car shouldn’t be a problem. On the safety front, the E-Class is loaded with lots of airbags, ABS with EBD, Traction Control, ESC, ESP and Pre-Safe. The sedan, however, seems to miss out on Lane Departure Warning with auto steer.